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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337381">storge</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitsu_yaminari/pseuds/kitsu_yaminari'>kitsu_yaminari</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon Compliant, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, Honestly this story might not even be sad, It's just kind of depressing, Kageyama Tobio-centric, Kageyama learns to feel, Metaphors, Song fic, Symbolism, i love tobio, kageyama character study, no comfort, so I love seeing him in pain as well, the hard way :(</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:01:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,787</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27337381</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitsu_yaminari/pseuds/kitsu_yaminari</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>storge<br/>/ ’storgi /<br/>noun<br/>Greek </p><p>1. Love of family, an affection evoked by instinct or second nature.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kageyama Kazuyo &amp; Kageyama Tobio, Kageyama Miwa &amp; Kageyama Tobio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>storge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a song fic! All credits go to @lynlapid from TikTok! Please go listen to her covers and original music!<br/>Link: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS5mxGoa</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> (Promise that we’d never grow apart)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kageyama Tobio was given a lot when he was young, but not much that would last. He only cared for two people: his older sister Miwa and his grandfather Kazuyo. He didn’t really know anyone else. He never had time to make friends, since his eyes only saw volleyball as worthwhile, and his parents were practically nonexistent. They left his life without ever being there in the first place. </p><p>It never bothered Tobio all that much, but it did bother his grandfather. One night, Tobio had arisen late to find his grandfather still awake, awaiting for his parents to return.</p><p>“Tobio!” Kazuyo gave out a soft laugh. “You sure know how to sneak up on someone. What are you doing up at this hour?”</p><p>“What about you, Kazuyo-san?” He was curious to know why his grandfather would put himself through the torture of staying up so late, after he evidently appeared bone-tired (probably due to the long day of practice they had together).</p><p>“Ah, well, I wanted to wait for your parents to get back…” Kazuyo wasn’t looking at Tobio, but rather the front door, with a sad look in his eyes. Tobio decided to direct his gaze outside a window instead. He saw a luxurious, thriving tree. Kazuyo had told him once that it was a Japanese snowbell tree, with white flowers in such plentiful amounts, it appeared like snow. It was Kazuyo’s idea to plant this tree when Miwa was born, and Tobio’s parents, although never taking time to appreciate its beauty, were fine with the sentiment. </p><p>“They’ll come back soon though, right?” Tobio glanced cynically at Kazuyo. He didn’t realize how he was a bit upset at his parents for making his tired grandfather wait for them. </p><p>“They will, they always do.”</p><p>“How can you be so sure?”</p><p>“Because they’re your family. They’ll always come back to you.” Tobio questioned this for a moment. His parents were never even there in the first place, so how could they come back? If anyone was going to return, per se, it would be Kazuyo or Miwa. </p><p>“If you left, Kazuyo-san, would you come back?” That was all that mattered to Tobio. </p><p>“Of course I would, Tobio.” Despite being exhausted, Kazuyo picked up Tobio (who was growing <em> way </em>too fast for Kazuyo’s liking) and put him in his lap. He held him tight and safe, as if Kazuyo was trying to protect Tobio from something: like Tobio could get hurt at any moment.  </p><p>“I promise I won’t leave you, and that I’ll keep coaching you as you grow up.” </p><p>Kazuyo was a countless number of amazing things for Tobio. Unfortunately, he was also a liar. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>(We both knew we would right from the start) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kageyama Tobio was given a lot when he was young, and most of it was taken away as fast as it appeared. </p><p>Kazuyo was continuing to stay awake late at night, and Tobio would try to stay up with him.</p><p>“Tobio, remember what I said about personal maintenance? Getting a good night of rest is part of that. You don’t have to stay awake for your parents, they understand.” Tobio wasn’t staying up for his parents at all, he was staying up for Kazuyo. Tobio was never very good with people, but he knew his grandfather needed him right now. Kazuyo’s older sister, Mamiko-san, had died recently. </p><p>He remembers going to a large cathedral, with a cavernous ceiling and more than enough space. He recalls being in a navy blue suit, one that matched his eyes, and seeing a casket with Mamiko-san’s picture rested upon it. Truthfully, he had not felt much remorse for her death directly, but seeing Kazuyo-san in pain was reason enough. Kazuyo-san had never cried, but there was a devastated look in his eyes. </p><p>Tobio, in a strange way, sympathized with his grandfather. Miwa was slowly starting to fade away from his life. He never blamed her, of course; she had found a passion for something else (Tobio could understand the “passion” part, but not the “something else”). Regardless, she was leaving to become independent. Tobio only had Kazuyo left. But after seeing his grandfather become weary and haggard after only a few hours of practice, seeing him lose his breath so easily and struggle to keep with Tobio… These thoughts refused to leave. </p><p>The day after the funeral, Tobio had been racing Kazuyo home, and had gone so far ahead that he had lost all sight of him. Once he made it home (while Kazuyo was still making his way), Tobio noticed that the snowbell tree had gotten smaller, and there weren’t as many flowers any more. Tobio was going to ask Kazuyo what was happening, until he realized Kazuyo was nowhere to be found. </p><p>Kageyama Tobio isn’t a genius, unlike what some would say, but he knew he couldn’t help the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that one day, Kazuyo would leave him too. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> (And I know that’s just how it is) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kazuyo was dying, and Tobio could do nothing about it. </p><p>“I’m so sorry, Tobio. I wish I could have watched your game.” Kazuyo was thin, sickly, and had lost all color in his face and eyes. </p><p>“It’s okay. I know.” Tobio had gotten used to this disappointment over the past few years. Kazuyo was always too sick or too tired for them to continue their normal routine. </p><p>That sinking feeling Tobio had only become closer to reality more and more, day after day. He tried to push that feeling deeper and deeper inside him, and just focus on the present. Train, take care of yourself, eat well, get a good night’s rest. Tobio was trying to prevent any other changes from his normal life (except at this point, he had no idea what normal was). All he was focused on was that there was a game in two days, and he needed to win. </p><p>“You’ll win, I just know it.” Kazuyo loved Tobio with all the remnants of strength he had left. Tobio wishes he had realized sooner it would be the last time he would feel that strength. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The next week, Kageyama was stuffed into another suit: this one pitch black, which somehow still matched his eyes. He was at the same cathedral he had been to years prior. He remembers wondering why the cathedral was so large, back then. Now, it was suffocating. All the room in the world is in one spacious building, and Tobio still couldn’t breathe. </p><p>There was a casket again. Tobio didn’t bother to look at the picture on top. He already knew. </p><p>He remembers that back then, he had felt empathy for… Kazuyo-san. </p><p>Tobio hopes that this time, he will feel something. He looks deep within himself. Like the suit he adorns, it’s a pit of nothing. He feels nothing.  </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>A week had flown by. It was excruciatingly slow, but went by in the blink of an eye at the same time. Tobio’s routine hadn’t changed. Train, take care of yourself, eat well, get a good night’s rest. There was no one there anymore: not his parents, or his sister, or his teammates, or Kazuyo-san. He walks home to find the tree, wilting the rest of its life away. </p><p>The once beautiful snowbell tree was reduced to nothing but a minimal number of grey leaves and wilted flowers. Tobio ignores it, and walks right past. </p><p>“Tobio, is everything okay? I know I’m not home very often, but you know you can still tell me anything, right?” Miwa was worried to death for her brother. He had changed so much these past years, but so had she. It pained Miwa’s heart to know that the first person to leave her little brother... was her. </p><p>Tobio didn’t want to be pitied or worried about. He knew how stressed his sister already was. Tobio, with everything he had, attempted to do what Kazuyo-san had done. To use any remaining strength that was left. For once in his life, for his sister’s sake, he beamed and tried his best to smile. Miwa could only see his pain and her face unintentionally contorted.  </p><p>Miwa’s grimace was only present for half a second, and Kageyama Tobio isn’t a genius, but he knew. Tobio decided there was no point in trying to be like Kazuyo-san. He would never succeed. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> (But I never thought it hurt like this) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Another two weeks went by. Two weeks of sleepless nights and aimless meandering. Tobio sat down in the same chair Kazuyo-san had once sat in, with bags under his eyes, but never being able to sleep. He stared at the front door with the same sad look in his eyes, the same way Kazuyo-san had waited for Tobio’s parents to return. </p><p>Tobio didn’t know who he was waiting for. Kageyama Tobio isn’t a genius, so all he knew was that he was waiting for something. </p><p>He decides to look outside, hoping to find someone, anyone. Maybe he wasn't alone, staying up this late in hopes of nothing. Instead, he finds the tree.</p><p>The tree, by this age, was completely dead. Any life force it had two weeks ago were completely drained out. The leaves and flowers all gone, with the leaves all blown away and the crippled, brown flowers laying on the ground. No one would come and clean them up. </p><p>Tobio took one short lived glance at that wilted tree, and ran. Despite it being the middle of the freezing winter and how dangerous it was this late at night, he ran. He knew how stupid of an idea this was. He knew how worried his sister would be if she found out. He knew how concerned <em> anyone </em> would be if they saw someone running this late, but he just couldn’t stop. He ran and ran until he couldn’t breathe. He wanted to scream, or cry, or <em> anything </em>, but he just ran. The cool sweat taking residence on his skin was enough to incinerate him. </p><p>He regrets everything he felt about wishing to feel upset. He forgot how much water can burn.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kageyama Tobio. Except, he doesn’t feel like any of those things. </p><p>Kageyama was his connection with his family. With his parents, sister, and grandfather gone, there wasn’t anything behind the name anymore. </p><p>Tobio. The name, given to be him by Kazuyo-san, meaning “<em>flying hero.”  </em>Tobio didn’t know how to fly. All he had done for the past few weeks was fall. He wasn’t a hero either. Heroes were strong.</p><p>Kageyama Tobio isn’t a genius, unlike what many others say, but he knows for a fact that if he isn’t Kageyama, and he isn’t Tobio, he’s nothing. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A Japanese snowbell tree represents family. Also, I hope this wasn't too ooc. Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate your interest!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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